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Review
. 2024 Oct 10:6:1479292.
doi: 10.3389/ftox.2024.1479292. eCollection 2024.

Microplastics and nanoplastics in cardiovascular disease-a narrative review with worrying links

Haixiang Zheng  1   2 , Gianpaolo Vidili  3 , Gavino Casu  4 , Eliano Pio Navarese  4 , Leonardo A Sechi  2   5 , Youren Chen  1
Affiliations
Review

Microplastics and nanoplastics in cardiovascular disease-a narrative review with worrying links

Haixiang Zheng et al. Front Toxicol. .

Abstract

With the widespread use of plastic products and the increase in waste, microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) have become an important issue in global environmental pollution. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that MNPs may have negative impacts on human health. This review aimed to explore the association between MNPs and cardiovascular disease and provide an outlook for future research. Research has shown that there may be a link between MNPs exposure and cardiovascular disease. Laboratory studies have shown that animals exposed to MNPs often exhibit abnormalities in the cardiovascular system, such as increased blood pressure, vascular inflammation, and myocardial damage. Epidemiological surveys have also revealed that people exposed to MNPs are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and myocardial infarction. Although the specific impact mechanism is not fully understood, there are several possible pathways of action, including the effects of toxic substances on MNPs and interference with the endocrine system. In summary, MNPs exposure may have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, but further research is needed to confirm its specific mechanism and extent of impact to guide relevant public health and environmental policies.

Keywords: cardiotoxicity; cardiovascular disease; correlation; environmental health; microplastics; nanoplastics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Sources of MNPs, pathways into the human body and distribution in cardiovascular-related organs and tissues. MNPs = microplastics and nanoplastics (created with BioRender.com).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Potential mechanism of the link between MNPs and CVD (created with BioRender.com). → promote ↑ upregulate/activate ↓ downregulate/inhibit.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Potential drug targets for MNPs-related CVD (created with BioRender.com). ROS: relative oxygen species; SIRT1: NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1; APO: apocynin; ACEI: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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